Why flood insurance claims were so low after Hurricane Maria

Why flood insurance claims were so low after Hurricane Maria

As of Oct. 25, FEMA had paid $2.8 billion in federal assistance under the National Flood Insurance Program to people affected by Hurricane Harvey and $179 million to those in the path of Hurricane Irma — but just $121,000 to people in the areas devastated by Maria, per early estimates FEMA provided to Axios. That’s because FEMA received 180 times as many claims from Harvey victims as Maria victims.

The big picture: Flood insurance is not available to much of Puerto Rico. Buying flood insurance under the federal program requires municipalities and counties to maintain reasonable flood standards, which may pose too high a cost for most counties on the island, according to R.J. Lehmann, an expert on insurance and financial service policy at the R Street Institute, a free market think tank. “It really comes down to this: Puerto Rico doesn’t buy flood insurance because Puerto Rico is very poor,” Lehmann said.

The numbers 246 words

By the numbers: In Puerto Rico, 5,267 properties are covered by the National Flood Insurance Program, compared to 1,725,394 properties in Florida, per FEMA data shared with…

The oceans are coming for the world’s cities — and we aren’t ready, according to a new book

By the end of the century, experts predict that we could see between two and eight feet of sea level rise.

Some cities, like Miami and New York, are already dealing with flooding at high tides and many cities are experiencing worse storm surges.

Cities are doing a lot to try to prepare, but a new book on sea level rise makes the argument that the seas will still transform our cities.

We build cities on the water.

Miami, New York, Tokyo, Mumbai, Lagos, Los Angeles — look anywhere in the world and humanity has decided that the places we want to congregate look out to sea. Close to 40% of the US population lives in coastal counties. Many of the most expensive and desirable locations in coastal cities are the ones with the best access to the ocean….

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The global air traffic network may be more vulnerable to natural disasters than you realize.

Recent volcanic activity reminds us of the 2010 disaster. The volcano in southern Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull glacier sends ash into the air just prior to sunset ON Friday, April 16, 2010. Thick drifts of volcanic ash blanketed parts of rural Iceland on Friday as a vast, invisible plume of grit drifted over Europe, emptying the skies of planes and sending hundreds of thousands in search of hotel rooms, train tickets or rental cars. (AP Photo/Brynjar Gauti) #

A section of Lake Oroville is seen nearly dry on August 19, 2014 in Oroville, California. As the severe drought in California continues for a third straight year, water levels in the State’s lakes and reservoirs are reaching historic lows. Lake Oroville is currently at 32 percent of its total 3,537,577 acre feet. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

this earthquake is believed to be the biggest in the region in 25 years – had destroyed four mobile homes and made 16 buildings “uninhabitable”,

The Story of Cyclone Tracy by Sophie Cunningham.

Forty homes appeared to have been completely submerged in the mudslide- only one building was left above ground level Photo: Getty

Motorists try to move their cars Thursday after being trapped on the flooded southbound Lodge near Dexter after a water main broke near the freeway about 2:30 p.m. Water from a 42-inch main poured down a freeway ramp and rose nearly 4 feet, causing backups. / Photos by William Archie/Detroit Free Press. Source: http://www.freep.com/article/20120601/NEWS01/206010386/Lodge-reopens-after-flooding-halts-traffic-near-water-main-break

TS Iselle

A solar flare bursts off the left limb of the sun in this image

even false tsunami warning can cause death toll in community…

Great guide for all pets owners; RSPCA Queensland. Source: http://www.rspcaqld.org.au/Information/AnimalCareTips/SummerTips/CyclonePreparedness